You are here

Clark recalled to England squad after lengthy ban

Northampton forward Calum Clark has been recalled to the England squad for the RBS 6 Nations after serving a 32-week ban for breaking the elbow of an opponent.

Clark, who was on the fringes of the national team this time last year, is one of two uncapped players in the 33-man squad, along with Gloucester centre Billy Twelvetrees.

The combative 23-year-old gives England options in both the back row and second row, offering the same versatility as his Northampton colleague Courtney Lawes.

Lancaster has been a long-time admirer of Clark's ability and he selected the Leeds academy graduate for last year's Six Nations squad. But Clark's career was put on hold in March, when he pleaded guilty to breaking the elbow of Leicester hooker Rob Hawkins in the LV= Cup final.

Clark's ban ran from March 22 to November 1, ruling him out of England's summer tour plans and the QBE autumn international series but Lancaster has now offered him a second chance.

Twelvetrees, meanwhile, has excelled in his first season at Gloucester and he and his club team-mate Freddie Burns have been promoted to the senior squad in place of Anthony Allen and Jordan Turner-Hall.

Other players formally promoted are Joe Launchbury, Tom Youngs and Mako Vunipola, while David Strettle returns in place of Charlie Sharples and James Haskell has replaced Phil Dowson in the back row.

Youngs has taken the place of injured Bath hooker Rob Webber, Launchbury has ousted Wasps team-mate Tom Palmer and Vunipola is an additional selection in an expanded 33-man squad.

Tom Croft has been included after overcoming a career-threatening neck injury but he is unlikely to feature in the Six Nations, with medics closely managing his return to action.

As a result, Vunipola's younger brother Billy, the dynamic Wasps number eight, will train with England in their pre-Six Nations camp in Leeds later this month.

Sharples drops down to the England Saxons, where he will find competition from Wasps wing Christian Wade and Bath's former rugby league star Kyle Eastmond.

The Saxons squad also includes another converted league player in Saracens' centre Joel Tomkins.